The Mankind is in all of us
by believer2
Summary: A horrible monster is on the loose at Hogwarts, and it's up to Harry, Snape and Draco to get rid of it
1. Default Chapter

Howdy-do. I own nothing. Not Snape, not Harry, not Draco… You get the picture. The only thing I do own is The Mankind. At least I think so. If some one invented it before me, then I'm sorry, I had no idea. I also own this Fic. So there. Don't sue me. It won't cost you a thing for I'm broke. And english is not my first language, I'm finnish.  
  
No slash in this fic, mates. Sorry. But it may be slightly violent. And some swearing is going to appear.  
  
Reviews welcomed, flames also.  
  
The Mankind is in all of us  
  
By: Believer  
  
  
  
"Hey! Watch out!" Harry yelled as someone bumped in to him.  
  
"Oh, well, well, isn't it Mr Potthead!" The furmiliar snearing voice of the most annoying slytherin in the whole world jeered.  
  
"Malfoy, I'm already late, move!" Harry really wasn't in the mood for having a fight with Draco right now. He was late for the potions class, which only ment troubles for him. Speaking of which… "Why aren't you in the class room? The lesson has already started?" Harry asked.  
  
"Hrr… The Professor drowe us out. He blew up one of his cauldrons."  
  
" What? Snape actually screwed something potions related up?! Is he ill?"  
  
"Not as far as I know. But you're still going to loose some points, Potter."  
  
Harry shifted on his place. He was getting somewhat slightly annoyed of the infuriating boy. "Yeah, yeah, now move ower so I can get to the-"  
  
"Oh, The famoys Potthead wants to get to class, eh? A little kiss-arse, aren't we?"  
  
"Ha, look whos talking, Malfoy! Your mouth is so close to the greasy git's arse that it makes me wonder how you get your tongue out if it anymore!" In this point Malfoy was slightly red, and was reaching for his wand. But Harry was faster. Aiming his wand to Draco he muttered the curse. "Expelliarmus!" The platinum haired boy was slunged against the wall. Harry lowered his wand. "I told you to move," he muttered and started walking away. But the moment he turned his back to the slytherin he heard a voice behind him.  
  
"Adipathusporcus!" Harry whirled aroud just in time to see a blue flash whizz past his ear. Good thing Malfoy had a lousy aiming, otherwise Harry would've been a nasty little pig now. But before he had time to curse back the most dangerous voice cut the air apart.  
  
"What in the name of Seven Hells is going on in here?!" Slowly Harry turned around to face the livid potions Master. The man seemed to be angryer than normally. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he had messed with his work in front of a whole class, but then again, you could never tell. "Well, explain."  
  
"Potter started it!" "I did not!" "Did too!" "Oh, come on, do you even know what the word truth mens?!" "Obviously better than you-"  
  
"Enough!" Snape roared. "Both of you in my office. Now!" Now the whole class had gathered to follow the scene. Harry and Draco slumped behind the Professor and followed him to his office.  
  
"It was your fault," Harry murmured as the others made their way to their next classes.  
  
  
  
Aah, what do you think? I know, it wasn't very scary. Yet. But it will be. At least I hope so. In next chapter. Promise. Review, please. 


	2. Paintings and Trances

Harry swung the rake back and forth, trying desperately to clean the grass in front of the castle. Malfoy was doing the same thing about thirty metres away. Snape had been a bit cross, and ordered them to clean the yard. And he had taken twenty points from Gryffindor and Slytherin, which had surprised Harry greatly. And it had made Malfoy angry. Something good in this day, then.  
  
"All right, I'm finished!" Harry called for Malfoy.  
  
"Really? Well, it won't help you, Professor said we have to wait for each other, so you can sit there or you can come and help me."  
  
'Oh, so typical Malfoy, ' Harry thought. But then again, if he helped the brat he would be free sooner. Knowing Malfoy they wouldn't be able to get home until midnight. Harry strode to Malfoy's spot and started raking. After half an hour they were finished.  
  
"Right, let's go to Snape and tell him we are ready. Maybe he'll give us another assignment…"  
  
Malfoy frowned.  
  
"You'll get another assignment. You were the one who was late. I'm going to sleep." Harry stared at the blond boy.  
  
"Oh no, you're not! You're coming with me! It's your fault we're here in the first place!" Then he grabbed the objecting boy by hand and started dragging him towards the dungeons.  
  
"Hrr, I never understood why the greasy git likes it down here. I guess he told you everything about it, Malfoy," Harry sneered.  
  
"You wish, Potter. I'm not the man's best friend. Wouldn't say the same about your Godfather." Harry turned red.  
  
"Watch your mouth! It's none of your business what my godfather is." Malfoy turned to face him.  
  
"Yeah, illegal animagus."  
  
"Not illegal anymore!" Sirius' reputation had been cleared when the aurors caught Peter Pettigrew after Voldemort's fall. Malfoy's dad was still on the loose, and though Draco didn't care for his father he still didn't like the fact that Sirius had cut Lucius' hand off as they duelled.  
  
"Whatever, Potter. Knock." Harry did as he was told. No answer. He knocked again. Nothing. Harry pressed his ear against the door.  
  
"Well, he is in there. Why won't he open the door?" Malfoy started banging at the door.  
  
"Are you mad?! He'll strangle us if you won't stop!" Harry yelled. Malfoy took a step back. They waited for the furious Professor to open the door and yell at them. But no, no one came. Malfoy took his wand out and pointed at the door.  
  
"Alohomora!" The lock clicked and they stepped into the office. Harry was a bit surprised the door opened so easily. Snape was standing in front of a big canvas, but Harry didn't pay any attention to what the man was painting. He was way too busy staring at man himself.  
  
"Malfoy, look at him!" Malfoy came closer. "Look at his eyes. It's like he's in some kind of… Trance," Harry pointed out. He waved his hand in front of the teacher's eyes. No response. The man didn't even flinch.  
  
"Hey, Harry, look at this" Harry turned around to see what was so remarkable that Malfoy had to call him by his first name.  
  
Malfoy was pointing at the painting which Snape was finishing. It was a woman. No, not a woman, something which reminded Harry of Dracula. She had long black hair which turned out to be a group of small snakes and she had wings which were like bat wings. Her hands were two times longer than normal humans had, and they were bony and slim. There was a huge thorn in both elbows, knees and heels. She was naked and if she hadn't been so damn scary and bony she would have been beautiful. She had delicate face, pale, creamy skin, but her eyes where black though they had two white slits in the middle of them. They almost seemed to be glowing. Her lips were blood red, but her teeth were long and sharp, like bat's.  
  
"Well, he certainly can paint well, but why something so creepy?" Harry mused.  
  
"I don't know. Well, he really isn't the kind of person who would paint flowers and stuff, eh?" Harry stared at the painting.  
  
"I guess you're right," he murmured and bent down to scrutinize the painting. "It almost looks like a living creature. It's really good work, but..." Harry stood up. Something was wrong.  
  
"But what, Potter? Let's just leave the man alone and get the hell out of here." Harry thought he heard fear in the blond boy's voice.  
  
"We can't just leave him like that. Let's go get Dumbledore and Pomfrey." But Malfoy was already on his way out. Harry glanced at the zombi- sh Potions Master then sprung after Draco, shutting the door after him.  
  
"Oh come on, Malfoy. This isn't right! We can't just leave him like that!" Draco turned around. "Why not? Don't tell me you actually care about the git?" Harry turned red.  
  
"Well, he did help us defeat the Dark Lord. And I'd do the same thing if it were you standing there!" Malfoy eyed him doubtfully. Then his face softened a bit.  
  
"Fine. But you get the Headmaster, I get Pomfrey." And with that he was gone, and Harry continued his way to the Headmaster's office.  
  
  
  
Are you scared yet? No? Damn… Well, next chapter. I write so short chapters that it's hard to get something scary in them, but really, next chapter will be more interesting. But as I said, English is not my native language, and I just can't write anything longer. First I have to get used to this… 


	3. and the weird things start to happen

Harry didn't need to run too far; he bumped into Dumbledore in the Hall.  
  
"Ouch! Harry, where are you heading in such a hurry?"  
  
After catching his breath Harry explained the situation to the Headmaster. "And Draco is fetching Pomfrey. It's really weird, he didn't move at all! It's like he was a zombie or something."  
  
Dumbledore frowned. "I'll go and see what exactly is going on down there. You had better come with me."  
  
The two hurried to the dungeons. Poppy and Draco were already there.  
  
"We tried to open the door, but now it's locked, " Draco informed.  
  
Suddenly a loud yell came from the office. It was followed by a 'bang' as something was slung against the wall. Dumbledore stepped closer to the door.  
  
"Severus?" he yelled. "Are you all right in there?"  
  
"Albus? Yeah, I'm perfectly fine, don't worry, I'll handle this in a secon- Get off me, you deranged bitch!" Again they heard Snape's yell, this time it was followed by a scream. Definitely a female one. And then a loud wooden crack.  
  
"Severus? What was that?!"  
  
"What was what? I didn't hear anything. Umm. Just go back doing whatever you were doing, I'm a bit busy now." Again the scream, and the voice of shattering glass.  
  
"Severus, we're coming in! Now!" Then the Headmaster beckoned the others to stand back. He took out his wand and pointed at the door.  
  
"No! Don't! Albus, don't open the door! You can't!"  
  
But it was too late. Dumbledore aimed and shouted the curse and the door was blasted into hundreds of pieces. But in a split second Harry learned that it really wasn't a good idea to break the door for a huge bat flew out from the office. Except Harry knew it was no bat. He had a good (or bad) feeling it was the same creature they saw in Snape's painting. Snape scrambled on his feet and burst to the hallway. Then he stopped on his tracks and turned to face Harry and the others. Harry had never seen the man so pale before. But before anyone had a chance to say anything a bloodcurdling scream reached their ears.  
  
"It's eating," Snape said. He sounded sad and even calm. With that statement he run off.  
  
The rest of them followed him. Harry was glad Snape knew the dungeon corridors better than than anyone else, otherwise they would have been lost as the screams suddenly died away. Snape seemed to know exactly where to go. He led them into a small dark hallway and Harry made a promise to himself that next time someone was acting odd he would just leave that person alone. In front of their very eyes the black-winged humanbat was feasting on its prey. The prey that was the body of a young girl. A seventh year Slytherin to be exact. Harry stared, horrified, as the monster ripped the young girl's flesh. How dead she looked. Eyes wide open, staring at him, pleading silently for mercy, for salvation. She didn't even blink, she couldn't blink, not anymore. Her beautiful face had drops of blood on it, and a trickle of the red liquid had flown from her nose to her slightly parted lips. Harry tore his eyes away from the girl's face and glanced at the walls. Blood was spattered on them. Harry was feeling nauseous. The beast had ripped the girl's stomach open, and was now eating happily the bowels. Harry felt a burning need to run to the dead body and drag the girl out from there, wanted to give the girl at least some kind of dignity, he wanted to close those eyes, to close those hollow eyes one last time from world's cruelty. He started walking, but Snape grabbed him.  
  
"Are you out of your tiny mind?! It'll rip you to dozens of little pieces, faster than you can say 'Mankind'."  
  
The creature lifted its (her? Harry wasn't sure what to call it) head. It stared at them for a moment. No one dared to move. Then, after agonizingly long few seconds, it went back to tearing the young flesh. Harry felt a tug in his left arm as Snape started dragging him and Draco out. Dumbledore and Pomfrey followed the example. When they got out from the corridor Snape and the Headmaster conjured a thick door and slammed it shut, so that the monster was trapped inside. Harry sighed in relief.  
  
"It's not over yet," Snape said quietly, staring at the door. "It'll come out eventually, it is stronger now that it has eaten."  
  
"What the bloody hell is that thing?" screamed Pomfrey. "One of Hagrid's so called pets?!"  
  
"Shut up, woman," Snape hissed. "It'll hear us. All of you, in my office. Now. I'll explain everything there. And after that, Albus, you have to send the students home. And the teachers too."  
  
The Headmaster was about to object, but Snape was faster. "Do you want some more dead bodies lying in the hallways, Albus? If you want the students to be safe you'll send them home. It'll give me enough room to get rid of /her/." After he said that he headed to his office. The other four followed him, not daring to say a word. 


End file.
